Lands of Shadow - How Insightful. (12/18)

[menace64]

I've been detached from the forums lately; the overwhelming majority of my creative energies focused on my book and little else. I owe EL a HUGE apology for not voting in the contest in a timely manner, but it just wasn't on my mind. Sorry, mate.

Anywho. I was in the middle of working on the new Wraith subculture when I got derailed. For now I'm going to let that simmer (since it needs some work) and we'll skip into another theme for the set.

We're going to venture into the realm of Mordor - the real Lands of Shadow.

And, to begin this segment of spoilers, we must obviously work on the Ring-bearer himself.

•Frodo, Traveler in a Dark Land
Companion • Hobbit
Strength 3
Vitality 4
Resistance 10
Ring-bearer. Ring-bound.
While in region 1, Frodo is resistance +2.
While in region 2, Frodo is strength +1 for each other Ring-bound companion (limit +4).
While in region 3, Frodo may not wear The One Ring.
"‘I don't like anything here at all,' said Frodo, ‘step or stone, breath or bone. Earth, air and water all seem accursed. But so our path is laid.'"
M1C99

Yup, yup. As you'll see in the next two cards, regions matter a lot for this cycle of cards. I wanted to create a Frodo that would be much stronger than other Frodos, but ultimately paid the price by becoming very weak. In this persona of Frodo, you sacrifice the ability to wear the Ring to make region 1 and 2 easier to get through.

Plus, it's really flavorful!

•Sam, Traveler in a Dark Land
Companion • Hobbit
Strength 3
Vitality 4
Resistance 9
Ring-bound.
While Sam bears The One Ring, he is resistance -4.
While in region 1 or region 2, if Frodo is the Ring-bearer, Sam is strength +1 for each burden.
Response: If in region 3 and the Ring-bearer dies, make Sam the Ring-bearer.
"…he knew in the core of his heart that he was not large enough to bear such a burden, even if such visions were not a mere cheat to betray him. The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command."
M1C103

This Sam has his share of flavor as well. But he is also bound to region-specific abilities; as you can see, he can only become the Ring-bearer after you've passed into Mordor. But, until then, he shoulders the weight of Frodo's burden, becoming stronger to protect his master as the Ring grows more powerful.

And, of course, the third card tonight must be Smeagol.

•Sméagol, Traveler in a Dark Land
Companion
Strength 3
Vitality 4
Resistance 5
Ring-bound. To play, add a burden.
While in region 2, minions skirmishing Ring-bound companions are strength -1 for each Ring-bound companion (limit -4).
While in region 3, at the end of each fellowship phase, each Shadow player may take a Shadow card into hand from his or her discard pile.
"‘It's not good worrying about him now,' said Frodo. ‘We couldn't have got so far, not even within sight of the pass, without him, and so we'll have to put up with his ways. If he's false, he's false.'"
M1U16

Smeagol doesn't do anything in region 1 because he wasn't actually part of the fellowship at that point. But once he joins you, he instantly becomes a great gain and a great threat. His region 2 text is a boon to any Ring-bound fellowship. His mere presence will buy you a lot of won skirmishes in the right setup. But once you pass into the realm of Mordor, whatever oath Smeagol took before is lost to him and he seeks only to reclaim his Ring - at any cost. So if you can't kill him before then, the Shadow will gain an advantage.

[Elf_Lvr]

I've been detached from the forums lately; the overwhelming majority of my creative energies focused on my book and little else. I owe EL a HUGE apology for not voting in the contest in a timely manner, but it just wasn't on my mind. Sorry, mate.

No worries, man.

•Frodo, Traveler in a Dark Land
Companion • Hobbit
Strength 3
Vitality 4
Resistance 10
Ring-bearer. Ring-bound.
While in region 1, Frodo is resistance +2.
While in region 2, Frodo is strength +1 for each other Ring-bound companion.
While in region 3, Frodo may not wear The One Ring.
"‘I don't like anything here at all,' said Frodo, ‘step or stone, breath or bone. Earth, air and water all seem accursed. But so our path is laid.'"
M1C99

Yikes. It'd take a lot of playtesting to figure out, but it could work in certain decks. An interesting solution would be to kill off Frodo in region 3 and give the Ring to Sam...

•Sam, Traveler in a Dark Land
Companion • Hobbit
Strength 3
Vitality 4
Resistance 9
Ring-bound.
While Sam bears The One Ring, he is resistance -4.
If Frodo is the Ring-bearer, for each burden you spot, Sam is strength +1.
Response: If in region 3 and the Ring-bearer dies, make Sam the Ring-bearer.
"…he knew in the core of his heart that he was not large enough to bear such a burden, even if such visions were not a mere cheat to betray him. The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command."
M1C103

Depending on the Frodo, this guy could get huge. Load up burdens in regions 1 and 2 (Birthday Present, perhaps?) then dump them all when Frodo dies in region 3 and take the Ring... It might get a bit OP.

•Sméagol, Traveler in a Dark Land
Companion
Strength 3
Vitality 4
Resistance 5
Ring-bound. To play, add a burden.
While in region 2, minions skirmishing Ring-bound companions are strength -1 for each Ring-bound companion.
While in region 3, at the end of each fellowship phase, each Shadow player may take a Shadow card into hand from his or her discard pile.
"‘It's not good worrying about him now,' said Frodo. ‘We couldn't have got so far, not even within sight of the pass, without him, and so we'll have to put up with his ways. If he's false, he's false.'"
M1U16

Seems like a progressive solo-Sam strategy. I think the region 2 ability might be OP, since this guy could be sued with Ring-Bound Rangers for some major path control, not to mention making every minion strength -9 or so. Some sort of limit is required.

[Gate Troll]

•Frodo, Traveler in a Dark Land
Companion • Hobbit
Strength 3
Vitality 4
Resistance 10
Ring-bearer. Ring-bound.
While in region 1, Frodo is resistance +2.
While in region 2, Frodo is strength +1 for each other Ring-bound companion.
While in region 3, Frodo may not wear The One Ring.
"‘I don't like anything here at all,' said Frodo, ‘step or stone, breath or bone. Earth, air and water all seem accursed. But so our path is laid.'"
M1C99

Neat, but he could still get too big at region 2. Perhaps you should give it a limit of +4.

•Sam, Traveler in a Dark Land
Companion • Hobbit
Strength 3
Vitality 4
Resistance 9
Ring-bound.
While Sam bears The One Ring, he is resistance -4.
If Frodo is the Ring-bearer, for each burden you spot, Sam is strength +1.
Response: If in region 3 and the Ring-bearer dies, make Sam the Ring-bearer.
"…he knew in the core of his heart that he was not large enough to bear such a burden, even if such visions were not a mere cheat to betray him. The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command."
M1C103

Lol, I just realized this Sam is like some kind of burden parasite. Seems okay.

•Sméagol, Traveler in a Dark Land
Companion
Strength 3
Vitality 4
Resistance 5
Ring-bound. To play, add a burden.
While in region 2, minions skirmishing Ring-bound companions are strength -1 for each Ring-bound companion.
While in region 3, at the end of each fellowship phase, each Shadow player may take a Shadow card into hand from his or her discard pile.
"‘It's not good worrying about him now,' said Frodo. ‘We couldn't have got so far, not even within sight of the pass, without him, and so we'll have to put up with his ways. If he's false, he's false.'"
M1U16

It looks good, though the region two ability should probably have a limit, say strength -4.

[sickofpalantirs]

I've been detached from the forums lately; the overwhelming majority of my creative energies focused on my book and little else. I owe EL a HUGE apology for not voting in the contest in a timely manner, but it just wasn't on my mind. Sorry, mate.

Anywho. I was in the middle of working on the new Wraith subculture when I got derailed. For now I'm going to let that simmer (since it needs some work) and we'll skip into another theme for the set.

We're going to venture into the realm of Mordor - the real Lands of Shadow.

And, to begin this segment of spoilers, we must obviously work on the Ring-bearer himself.

•Frodo, Traveler in a Dark Land
Companion • Hobbit
Strength 3
Vitality 4
Resistance 10
Ring-bearer. Ring-bound.
While in region 1, Frodo is resistance +2.
While in region 2, Frodo is strength +1 for each other Ring-bound companion.
While in region 3, Frodo may not wear The One Ring.
"‘I don't like anything here at all,' said Frodo, ‘step or stone, breath or bone. Earth, air and water all seem accursed. But so our path is laid.'"
M1C99
fine.

•Sam, Traveler in a Dark Land
Companion • Hobbit
Strength 3
Vitality 4
Resistance 9
Ring-bound.
While Sam bears The One Ring, he is resistance -4.
If Frodo is the Ring-bearer, for each burden you spot, Sam is strength +1.
Response: If in region 3 and the Ring-bearer dies, make Sam the Ring-bearer.
"…he knew in the core of his heart that he was not large enough to bear such a burden, even if such visions were not a mere cheat to betray him. The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command."
M1C103
lets see resolute hobbit, with the ring of rings, and salt from the shire...and 4 strange meeting, and a follower....good gravy!
kewl

•Sméagol, Traveler in a Dark Land
Companion
Strength 3
Vitality 4
Resistance 5
Ring-bound. To play, add a burden.
While in region 2, minions skirmishing Ring-bound companions are strength -1 for each Ring-bound companion.
While in region 3, at the end of each fellowship phase, each Shadow player may take a Shadow card into hand from his or her discard pile.
"‘It's not good worrying about him now,' said Frodo. ‘We couldn't have got so far, not even within sight of the pass, without him, and so we'll have to put up with his ways. If he's false, he's false.'"
M1U16

hmm...I think the benefits outway the risks. though he can only work for 2 turns...all the same, good card.

[menace64]

I planned on putting some caps on their abilities, but wanted to see how much limiting you guys thought they needed. That being said, they've all been tweaked, and I put an additional requirement on Sam's strength boosting (I didn't cap it, but it now only works in region 1 or 2).

Before I get into the really cool, flashy aspects of and , I'd like to show a little more of this region theme.

•Frodo's Test
Condition
Bearer must be Frodo (if he is the Ring-bearer).
Each time the fellowship moves to a site in region 2 or 3, add a burden.
Each time the fellowship moves from a site in region 2 or 3, remove 2 burdens.
"And sometimes his right hand would creep to his breast, clutching, and then slowly, as the will recovered mastery, it would be withdrawn."
M1U100

I think this may need to be changed a little bit, but we'll see. Every turn you get another burden - which can certainly hurt you during that turn - but if you evade corruption and move ahead, you'll get 2 peeled off. My beef with this card right now is that it doesn't represent the 'increasing doom' feeling of moving closer to Mordor, so I'll give you an alternate block of text:

Bearer must be Frodo (if he is the Ring-bearer).
Each time the fellowship moves to a site in region 2 or 3, add 2 burdens.
Each time the fellowship moves from a site in region 2 or 3, heal Frodo and remove a burden.

With this card, you'll end every turn with 1 more burden, but you get the heal. It better-represents the theme of the card, but I'll let you choose which one is 'better.'

NOW for some flashy cards! These two are just, well...

•Sting, Blade of the Chosen
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Frodo.
At the start of each skirmish involving Frodo, you may exert Sam to make Frodo strength +2.
Maneuver: If Frodo has resistance 7 or more, exert him twice to discard a support area possession.
"‘Come! Let us see what Sting can do. It is an elven-blade. There were webs of horror in the dark ravines of Beleriand where it was forged. But you must be the guard and hold back the eyes… Do not be afraid.'"
M1R105

Just to clarify, the maneuver text is to represent Sting hacking away through Shelob's webs. Pretty straight-forward card, but I really, really like it!

And this last card is one of three cards in Lands of Shadow that can really change the outcome of a game.

A Part Yet to Play
Event • Maneuver
Spot Frodo as the Ring-bearer and add X burdens, where X is his resistance minus 1. Any player that can spot Gollum (or can play Gollum) must do so to suspend the current phase and assign Gollum to skirmish Frodo. If you can spot Sam, Frodo is strength +2 for this skirmish. Gollum is strength +1 for each burden. If Gollum wins the skirmish, Frodo is corrupted and Gollum reclaims The One Ring. If Frodo wins the skirmish, Gollum is killed and Gollum's owner reveals the top 10 cards of his or her draw deck. If more Free Peoples cards are revealed than Shadow cards, The One Ring is destroyed.
M1R102

Reread it. See the awesome.

[MR. Lurtzy]

What is the benefit for using that second card?

[menace64]

lol, uh... well, you see... it's highly technical.

You caught me. I don't think that version of Frodo's Test has a benefit. Does it?

[Thranduil]

•Frodo, Traveler in a Dark Land
Companion • Hobbit
Strength 3
Vitality 4
Resistance 10
Ring-bearer. Ring-bound.
While in region 1, Frodo is resistance +2.
While in region 2, Frodo is strength +1 for each other Ring-bound companion (limit +4).
While in region 3, Frodo may not wear The One Ring.
"‘I don't like anything here at all,' said Frodo, ‘step or stone, breath or bone. Earth, air and water all seem accursed. But so our path is laid.'"
M1C99

•Sam, Traveler in a Dark Land
Companion • Hobbit
Strength 3
Vitality 4
Resistance 9
Ring-bound.
While Sam bears The One Ring, he is resistance -4.
While in region 1 or region 2, if Frodo is the Ring-bearer, Sam is strength +1 for each burden.
Response: If in region 3 and the Ring-bearer dies, make Sam the Ring-bearer.
"…he knew in the core of his heart that he was not large enough to bear such a burden, even if such visions were not a mere cheat to betray him. The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command."
M1C103

•Sméagol, Traveler in a Dark Land
Companion
Strength 3
Vitality 4
Resistance 5
Ring-bound. To play, add a burden.
While in region 2, minions skirmishing Ring-bound companions are strength -1 for each Ring-bound companion (limit -4).
While in region 3, at the end of each fellowship phase, each Shadow player may take a Shadow card into hand from his or her discard pile.
"‘It's not good worrying about him now,' said Frodo. ‘We couldn't have got so far, not even within sight of the pass, without him, and so we'll have to put up with his ways. If he's false, he's false.'"
M1U16

I'm seeing a bizarre Saved From the Fire deck idea coming through here. You stop at site 6, kill Frodo to get cards to make sure Sam survives region 3, then kill Smeagol to get Shadow cards! Seens fun. I have no idea how they'd play, but the flavour is awesome.

•Frodo's Test
Condition
Bearer must be Frodo (if he is the Ring-bearer).
Each time the fellowship moves to a site in region 2 or 3, add a burden.
Each time the fellowship moves from a site in region 2 or 3, remove 2 burdens.
"And sometimes his right hand would creep to his breast, clutching, and then slowly, as the will recovered mastery, it would be withdrawn."
M1U100

Bearer must be Frodo (if he is the Ring-bearer).
Each time the fellowship moves to a site in region 2 or 3, add 2 burdens.
Each time the fellowship moves from a site in region 2 or 3, heal Frodo and remove a burden.

I prefer the second one - again great flavour. I could see this sort of concept as a cycle: things like "Galadriel's Test", "Boromir's Test" etc.

•Sting, Blade of the Chosen
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Frodo.
At the start of each skirmish involving Frodo, you may exert Sam to make Frodo strength +2.
Maneuver: If Frodo has resistance 7 or more, exert him twice to discard a support area possession.
"‘Come! Let us see what Sting can do. It is an elven-blade. There were webs of horror in the dark ravines of Beleriand where it was forged. But you must be the guard and hold back the eyes… Do not be afraid.'"
M1R105

Fair enough. I want to see a Sting that ties in with the region stuff, though.

A Part Yet to Play
Event • Maneuver
Spot Frodo as the Ring-bearer and add X burdens, where X is his resistance minus 1. Any player that can spot Gollum (or can play Gollum) must do so to suspend the current phase and assign Gollum to skirmish Frodo. If you can spot Sam, Frodo is strength +2 for this skirmish. Gollum is strength +1 for each burden. If Gollum wins the skirmish, Frodo is corrupted and Gollum reclaims The One Ring. If Frodo wins the skirmish, Gollum is killed and Gollum's owner reveals the top 10 cards of his or her draw deck. If more Free Peoples cards are revealed than Shadow cards, The One Ring is destroyed.
M1R102

Entertaining, but is it actually a card you can play?

Thranduil

[Gate Troll]

•Frodo's Test
Condition
Bearer must be Frodo (if he is the Ring-bearer).
Each time the fellowship moves to a site in region 2 or 3, add a burden.
Each time the fellowship moves from a site in region 2 or 3, remove 2 burdens.
"And sometimes his right hand would creep to his breast, clutching, and then slowly, as the will recovered mastery, it would be withdrawn."
M1U100

Cool. Gradual burden removal. 

Bearer must be Frodo (if he is the Ring-bearer).
Each time the fellowship moves to a site in region 2 or 3, add 2 burdens.
Each time the fellowship moves from a site in region 2 or 3, heal Frodo and remove a burden.

I have no clue why anyone would want to use this. It adds two burdens every turn but only removes
one, bad juju and completely worthless. Healing RB Frodo is pointless since wounds are automatically replaced
by burdens. 

•Sting, Blade of the Chosen
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Frodo.
At the start of each skirmish involving Frodo, you may exert Sam to make Frodo strength +2.
Maneuver: If Frodo has resistance 7 or more, exert him twice to discard a support area possession.
"‘Come! Let us see what Sting can do. It is an elven-blade. There were webs of horror in the dark ravines of Beleriand where it was forged. But you must be the guard and hold back the eyes… Do not be afraid.'"
M1R105

Nice. Good card. 

A Part Yet to Play
Event • Maneuver
Spot Frodo as the Ring-bearer and add X burdens, where X is his resistance minus 1. Any player that can spot Gollum (or can play Gollum) must do so to suspend the current phase and assign Gollum to skirmish Frodo. If you can spot Sam, Frodo is strength +2 for this skirmish. Gollum is strength +1 for each burden. If Gollum wins the skirmish, Frodo is corrupted and Gollum reclaims The One Ring. If Frodo wins the skirmish, Gollum is killed and Gollum's owner reveals the top 10 cards of his or her draw deck. If more Free Peoples cards are revealed than Shadow cards, The One Ring is destroyed.
M1R102

That is awesome. A bit wordy maybe, but amazing. for the cool card. 

The first one's original text is good. I give it three stars. *** 
The first one's alternate text sucks. I give it a single star. * 
The second one is also okay. I give it four stars. **** 
The third one is freaking awesome! Definitely five stars. ***** 

Oh, and btw Thranduil, what you said about using Saved from the Fire to kill Frodo, that's impossible as Frodo is the ringbearer. Read the card first man. 

[MR. Lurtzy]

No no no. I was talking about A Part Yet to Play. What would be the benefit for using it?

[menace64]

Outside of the fact that you can win the game by using it? Well, there's a lot of "fun" cards out there that aren't "great" cards - the easiest example I can think of being Bilbo, BoTB. A Part Yet to Play (and the other 2 "you win the game" cards in this set) are all rare, and would be available to people seeking to build not-so-cookie-cutter decks.

All right. Frodo's Test is staying in its original form. Thanks for hitting me hard on that second idea.

Today... well hm. I've been itching to spoil Gollum and his most dastardly of tricks. So here we go. Hold your breath!

•Gollum, Desperate for The Ring
Minion
Strength 5
Vitality 4
Site Number 3
Flanking (If this minion is not assigned to a skirmish, at the start of another of your character's skirmishes, you may exert this minion to replace that character in the skirmish).
At the start of Gollum's skirmish, if he is skirmishing the Ring-bearer, the Ring-bearer wears The One Ring.
"He was a leaned, starved, haggard thing, all bones and tight-drawn sallow skin. A wild light flamed in his eyes, but his malice was no longer matched by his old griping strength."
M1C15

In case you don't see the craziness in this card, just imagine it: Another minion (let's say, any lurker) is assigned to the RB and Gollum survives his skirmish. Gollum gets to bounce onto the RB, and then *wham* The One Ring goes on. In and of itself that's no big deal, but this next card is the Money Shot of the entire saga:

Crazed by Fell Longing
Event • Response
If the Ring-bearer wears The One Ring, spot Gollum and cancel all skirmishes (if any). Suspend the current phase and assign Gollum to skirmish the Ring-bearer. Gollum is strength +6 during this skirmish. Both Gollum and the Ring-bearer gain dominate. If the Ring-bearer wins the skirmish, Gollum is killed; Gollum's owner discards his or her hand and the suspended phase resumes. If Gollum wins the skirmish, the Ring-bearer is killed and Gollum reclaims The One Ring.
M1R14

One more time: Dominate (A character skirmishing this character may not exert.)
This is the second of 3 "win the game" cards in Lands of Shadow. Crazed by Fell Longing is quite a bit simpler than A Part Yet to Play, but has just as much danger wrapped up into it.
But when this card is paired with my new Gollum, all sorts of trouble is unleashed. Suddenly you've got a Gollum that can get the Ring on the RB's finger without the Free Peoples player getting a say in the matter (outside of clever assignments and directed archery/pre-skirmish wounding). CbFL would be a card that a lot of Free Peoples players would fear, adding a few more cards into their decks to help protect an otherwise-unprotected Ring-bearer from game-ending assaults.

Also, I always felt it silly that so little harm came to a fellowship for the Ring-bearer using The One Ring. There should have been lots of cards targeting an abusive Ring-bearer.

Well, as a matter of fact, those 2 cards are the only Shadow cards in Lands of Shadow (oddly enough), so I'll end this post with a random card.

I'm So Sorry
Event • Fellowship
If Frodo is the Ring-bearer, add 3 burdens to heal all wounds from another companion.
"‘What have I said? What have I done? Forgive me! After all you have done. It is the horrible power of the Ring. I wish it had never, never, been found. But don't mind me, Sam. I must carry the burden to the end. It can't be altered. You can't come between me and this doom.'"
M1R101

[Thranduil]

•Gollum, Desperate for The Ring
Minion
Strength 5
Vitality 4
Site Number 3
Flanking (If this minion is not assigned to a skirmish, at the start of another of your character's skirmishes, you may exert this minion to replace that character in the skirmish).
At the start of Gollum's skirmish, if he is skirmishing the Ring-bearer, the Ring-bearer wears The One Ring.
"He was a leaned, starved, haggard thing, all bones and tight-drawn sallow skin. A wild light flamed in his eyes, but his malice was no longer matched by his old griping strength."
M1C15

A common? If he's the only Gollum in a small set, I'd make him uncommon. If there is another Gollum (unless the other one is uber-crazy), then I think this one feels rare. I would also phrase it as "the Ring-bearer puts on The One Ring" which seems to make more sense to me.

Crazed by Fell Longing
Event • Response
If the Ring-bearer wears The One Ring, spot Gollum and cancel all skirmishes (if any). Suspend the current phase and assign Gollum to skirmish the Ring-bearer. Gollum is strength +6 during this skirmish. Both Gollum and the Ring-bearer gain dominate. If the Ring-bearer wins the skirmish, Gollum is killed; Gollum's owner discards his or her hand and the suspended phase resumes. If Gollum wins the skirmish, the Ring-bearer is killed and Gollum reclaims The One Ring.
M1R14

My problem with this stuff is that "reclaiming The One Ring" is an undefined action. I don't think this card needs to be game-winning (have 2 cards like this in a small set seems a bit much to me). I would definitely use this event in its simplest form: "If the Ring-bearer puts on The One Ring, spot Gollum and cancel all skirmishes (if any) to suspend the current phase and assign Gollum to skirmish in the Ring-bearer."

I'm So Sorry
Event • Fellowship
If Frodo is the Ring-bearer, add 3 burdens to heal all wounds from another companion.
"‘What have I said? What have I done? Forgive me! After all you have done. It is the horrible power of the Ring. I wish it had never, never, been found. But don't mind me, Sam. I must carry the burden to the end. It can't be altered. You can't come between me and this doom.'"
M1R101

I would have a defined number of wounds like 3 or 4, but otherwise this seems a good card.

Thranduil

[Elf_Lvr]

All the cards look fine to me. I like Thran's idea on Crazed by Fell Longing, but if want a card that's more... unique... you could keep it as is, I think.

[menace64]

Well, the point of the three "end the game" cards in this set is... that they can potentially end the game. As for the undefined term "reclaim" that's one of those times when flavor overrules mechanics. Sure, I could have written "the Ring-bearer is corrupted" or, more simply, "the Shadow wins" but it wouldn't be that big of a mental leap to figure what the card implies. Decipher has always been known for 'spicing up' important cards with new terminology; SWCCG is ridden with them.

As for Gollum's presence in Lands of Shadow, he's the only version. How does he seem to be a rare (and why would "feeling" like a rare prevent him from being common)?

•Beyond the Black Border
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot Sméagol.
Each time the fellowship moves, exert Sméagol or discard this condition.
At the start of each regroup phase, heal each Ring-bound companion that did not skirmish at this site.
Regroup: Spot Frodo, Sam, and Sméagol to play the fellowship's next site (if it is a mountain). Discard this condition.
"…and passing through found themselves on the very edge of the last fence of Mordor… Still far away, forty miles at least, they saw Mount Doom, its feet founded in ashen ruin…"
M1U13

This card has many things going for it. It hurts Smeagol and your Ring-bearer, but grants potential healing every site and gives an additional throw-away option of playing the next site. Let me know what you think.

•Sméagol's Promise
Condition
To play, spot Frodo as the Ring-bearer. Bearer must be Sméagol.
While Frodo has resistance 6 or more, Sméagol is resistance +2.
Regroup: Discard this condition to take 2 cards into hand from your discard pile.
"‘We're in sight of the pass, of a way in, and if we can find it now, then I suppose our agreement can be said to be over. You have done what you promised, and you're free: free to go back to food and rest, wherever you wish to go…'"
M1U17

I like this card because of its duality. On one side you build Smeagol's positive character, making him more trustworthy and loyal to Frodo. But during the regroup phase, you can 'break' the promise and take any 2 cards into your hand (even Shadow cards).

Uneasiness
Event •Response
If a Shadow card (except a minion) is played, exert Sméagol to cancel it (and draw a card if he has resistance 5 or more).
"‘It's tomorrow,' said Gollum, ‘or this was tomorrow when hobbits went to sleep. Very foolish, very dangerous – if poor Sméagol wasn't sneaking about to watch.'"
M1R18

This is a new skill for Smeagol, a skill that until now has only really shown up in Gondor through Strength of Kings. Due to the fact that this is not an ability easily used, Uneasiness is rare and costed on the expensive side of the curve. But the mere fact that this card is the only card in the culture that can directly cancel events, it would have its specific role in some decks, and more generalized purpose in others.

That is the last of the culture. I'll be finishing up in the next few days... and then we'll get to work on the inhabitants of the real Lands of Shadow.

[Elf_Lvr]

•Beyond the Black Border
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot Sméagol.
Each time the fellowship moves, wound Sméagol and add a burden.
At the start of each regroup phase, heal each Ring-bound companion that did not skirmish at this site.
Regroup: Spot Frodo, Sam, and Sméagol to play the fellowship's next site (if it is a mountain). Discard this condition.
"…and passing through found themselves on the very edge of the last fence of Mordor… Still far away, forty miles at least, they saw Mount Doom, its feet founded in ashen ruin…"
M1U13

Another card I'd have to see played. But... I think in a Ring-bound Ranger/Ithilien Blade deck it could get pretty OP.

•Sméagol's Promise
Condition
To play, spot Frodo as the Ring-bearer. Bearer must be Sméagol.
While Frodo has resistance 6 or more, Sméagol is resistance +2.
Regroup: Discard this condition to take 2 cards into hand from your discard pile.
"‘We're in sight of the pass, of a way in, and if we can find it now, then I suppose our agreement can be said to be over. You have done what you promised, and you're free: free to go back to food and rest, wherever you wish to go…'"
M1U17

It'd be great if you make a lot of cards that take advantage of high resistance for Smeagol. Right now there aren't many. The second ability is neat.

Frodo's Test, Smeagol's Promise... what else will there be? It'd be nifty if there were a cycle of cards for this. I can see a "Sam's Duty" or something coming.

Uneasiness
Event •Response
If an event is played, exert Sméagol to cancel it (and draw 2 cards if he has resistance 5 or more).
"‘It's tomorrow,' said Gollum, ‘or this was tomorrow when hobbits went to sleep. Very foolish, very dangerous – if poor Sméagol wasn't sneaking about to watch.'"
M1R18

I probably wouldn't use it since it requires an exertion. Maybe just have it spot Smeagol and reduce the card-drawing to 1.